1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to surgery and refers more specifically to a powered rotary scalpel structure and method whereby an incision is made with a rotating circular scalpel blade having a circumferential speed preferably in the range of 4 to 7 centimeters per second so that scar tissue at the incision is minimized, and to a specific locking device for use therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, surgical incisions have generally been manually made with a straight scalpel used linearly which is essentially a straight sharp knife. With such structure, and particularly at the start of an incision, the material cut, i.e. human skin, is essentially crushed rather than cut as it would be by a moving blade as it is later during the making of an incision as the surgeon moves the blade more rapidly across the area in which the incision is required.
It is well known that with such scalpels and such procedures that in the crushed area, considerably more scar tissue will build up on healing of the incision than in the area where the scalpel is at the desired cutting depth and is moving along the incision plane while the incision is being made. Scar tissue, i.e. eversion is undesirable and should be minimized.